Description
This Twice Baked Potato Casserole is a creamy, cheesy comfort food favorite, combining fluffy mashed potatoes with sour cream, cream cheese, melted butter, shredded cheddar, and crispy bacon. It’s baked twice to create a bubbly, golden crust topped with green onions, making it perfect for family dinners or holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes
- 5 large russet potatoes
Potato Mixture
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Toppings
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prepare it for the casserole.
- Bake the potatoes: Scrub the russet potatoes clean and bake them directly on the oven rack at 400°F (200°C) for about 1 hour, or until a fork pierces easily. Then let them cool slightly before peeling and mashing.
- Mix the potato filling: In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes with sour cream, softened cream cheese, whole milk, melted butter, 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and season generously with salt and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Add bacon and green onions: Fold in half of the crumbled bacon and half of the chopped green onions evenly throughout the potato mixture.
- Assemble the casserole: Transfer the prepared potato mixture into the greased 9×13-inch baking dish and smooth the surface evenly.
- Add toppings: Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and the rest of the crumbled bacon evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Bake the casserole: Bake in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the casserole is hot, bubbly, and the cheese has melted and slightly browned.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from oven, garnish with the remaining chopped green onions, and serve the casserole warm.
Notes
- You can prepare this dish a day ahead and refrigerate it before the final bake to save time.
- For a lighter version, substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt and use reduced-fat cheese.
- For vegetarian option, omit bacon and optionally add sautéed mushrooms or caramelized onions instead.
- Use gloves or tongs when handling hot baked potatoes to avoid burns.
